Apparatus for the manufacture of electric cables



June 1 1926. 7 1,586,943

A. 6. BROWN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRIC CABLES Filed July17, 1925 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1,1926.

A. G. BROWN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRIC CABLES 2Sheets-Shet '2 Filed July 17, 1925 Fig.3.

Patented June 1, 1926.

was

was.

TENT

ARTHUR GEORGE BEO'WN, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR THE IVIAINUFACTURE F ELECTRIC CABLES.

Application filed July 17, 1925, Serial No 44,392, and in Great BritainJuly 25, 1924.

- This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of electriccables of the type in which revolvin g drums are-provided containingcables under treatment either for drying, impregnating, vijilcanizing orother process, the said drums being carried on -a gear situated outsidethe chamber or upon rotary frames actuated by the said driving 'ear.

b Andin order that the invention may be better understood it will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying somewhat diagrammaticdrawings in which Fig. 1 shows in cross section and Fig. 2 inlongitudinal .section one form of apparatus made according to theinvention particularly suitable for heavy drums.

Figs. 3 and 4 show similar views of another form of apparatus accordingto the invention for dealing with a number of small drums.

In Figs. 1 and 2, 5 is thechamber for containing a heavy drum of cable,when under treatment, the drum being shown 1n outline in Fig. 1 at 6. 7is a removable cover to one end of the chamber allowing access to beobtained thereto when required. 8 are rails fixed in suitable positionswithin and at the lower part of the chamber 6 adapted to carry a truck 9having wheels 10. 11 are long rollers mounted in suitable bearingscarried by the truck 9 and adapted to be driven by chain gears 12 and 18and a suitable chain, from a shaft 14 supported by the pedestal bearing15 carried by the truck 9. 16 is a shaft mounted in a stuffing boxbearing 17 carried by the chamber and adapted to be driven directly by apulley 18 or through suitable reduction gearing. A clutch or coupling19, part carried by the shaft 14 and part by the shaft 16 connects thetwo shafts when the truck is in position within the chamber as shown inFig. 2.

In action the cover 7' is opened and the truck run outside where it isloaded with a large drum of cable, after which it is run into thechamber so that the parts of the clutch 19 engage. The shaft 16 is thendriven and the cover 7 closed. The rollers 11 are rotated in the samedirection at a desired speed by the driving shaft and the drum mountedthereon is thus caused to rotate continuously during the treatment ofthe cable within the chamber 5.

The rotation of the drum reduces the tendency to decentralize the copperof the cable when being vulcanized or otherwise treated and thistendency can still further be reduced by rotating the drum alternatelyin opposite directions. Owing to the fact that the drum rotates on itsown axis the alternate rotation in opposite directions prevents thecable on the drum fro-m becoming tight or slack as it tends to do whenrotated continuously in one direction, which tightness or slachness maycause decentraliza- .tion of the copper. Any suitable means may beprovided for causing the alternate rotation in opposite directions ofthe shaft 16, for instance a striking gear automatically operated by therotation and CO-OPQI'ZLt". ing with straight and crossed belts onsuitable fast and loose pulleys.

The construction shown in Figs. 3 and a is generally similar to thatdescribed with reference-to Figs. 1 and 2 except that the rollers 11 andtheir driving gear are replaced by frames 20 which are fast to the shaft1 1, in this case carried by two bearin gs 15.

Dismountable shafts 21 are carried between the frames 20 and theseshafts are adapted to carry a desired number of small drums shown inoutline at 22. These drums are prevented from turning on their own axesby suitable means, such as looking the shafts 21 to the frames by a keyor the like.

When the truck 9 in this form is outside the chamber the shaft 14 may berevolved by suitable gearing such as the gearing 23, r

from a suitable handle to bring the frame into suitable positions forloading and unloading the various drums and shafts 21. Automatic meansmay further be added for throwing this hand gear out of mesh when thetruck is pushed into position in the chamber, to prevent the hand gearbeing broken upon starting the driving shaft 16. This automatic meansmay comprise a suitably disposed trip lever co-operating with .aprojection inside the chamber.

In the form of theapparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4 other frames 20intermediate the end frames shown may be provided. Each adjacent pair offrames may sup-- port a number of separate shafts 21 be tween them. Thebearings carrying these shafts .21 may comprise a hinged or other- Wisemovable or detachable part to facilitate the mounting and dismounting ofthe shafts 21 carrying their associated drums.

In operation with this form of the apparatus it will be seen that thedrums do not rotate on their own axes but only turn with the frames 20on the shaft 14. There is thus no tendency for the cable thereon tobecome tight or slack. Further during the rotation of the shaft 14: itwill be appreciated that all points of the periphery of each drum inturn become the lowermost point and thus decentralizing of the copperowing to gravity is prevented.

Suitable rails or guides may be provided on the exterior adjacent thecover 7 on which the wheels of the truck may run and in some cases thetruck may be so constructed that it can easily be turned about itscentre to facilitate its movements when out of the chamber.

The invention is not limited to the coupling means shown as any suitablemeans may be provided for connecting the driving gear situated outsidethe chamber to the shaft carried by the truck to revolve the latter whenin position in the chamber.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United Statesof America is:

1. Apparatus for the manufacture of electric cables comprising astructure forming a treating chamber, a Wheeled carriage ports carriedbetween the frames, to which supports drums containing cables areadapted to be fixed so that all points of the peripheries of the drumsin turn become the lowermost and thus decentralizing of the copper owingto gravity is prevented.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of electric cables comprising astructure forming a treating chamber, a wheeled carriage arranged to berun into said chamber, means for carrying drums containing cables 011said carriage, and exterior driving means for rotating said drums in thechamber, an axle carried by the carriage adapted to be driven by theexterior driving means, additional and hand operable gear for turningsaid axle when disengaged from-the exterior driving means, frames fixedto and carried by said axle and supports carried between the frames, towhich supports drums containing cables are adapted to be fixed so thatall points of the peripheries of the drums in turn become the lowermostand thus decentralizing of the copper owlng to gravity is prevented.

In Witness whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR GEORGE BROWN.

